


Eye of the Tiger

by Spazzo47



Category: The Newsroom (US TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-27
Updated: 2019-11-27
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21586648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Spazzo47/pseuds/Spazzo47
Summary: This is for Lilac Mermaid's November 2015 Fan Fiction Challenge -- Song Fic.  The rules allow me to use a song that inspired the piece, the song doesn't have to be in it.It's the day of the marathon that Will didn't finish, and the story of why.
Relationships: Will McAvoy/MacKenzie McHale
Comments: 3
Kudos: 5





	Eye of the Tiger

**Author's Note:**

> Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I will be running in a local Turkey Trot when it's 32 degrees outside because I'm stupid. Running always makes me think of Survivor's song, "Eye of the Tiger", which made me think of the line in season one where we found out that Mac sprained her ankle and Will took her to the medical tent instead of running in a marathon. THen I remembered that I had written a chapter about that in Memphis and I referred to it in Subtext. Which I guess makes it cannon. You didn't have to follow those stories, but since I had the basic idea in my head, I decided to expand on it. 
> 
> Happy Thanksgiving.

Will looked at his girlfriend and just shook his head. Mackenzie laughed at him and said, “what?”

Will took a more appraising look at her, up and down. “Your legs look gorgeous.”

“Is that really what you were going to say or were you going to whine at me some more about having to do this marathon?”

Will looked at her sheepishly. “Your legs look gorgeous.” When she didn’t say anything, he added, “and I don’t whine. I’m looking forward to it. We’ve worked hard. I know I wasn’t a willing participant, but, I changed my mind.”

Will looked at Mac adoringly and for the first time she enjoyed the look. A few months ago, Will manipulated things so she would have to join he and his co-anchor Preston for marathon training. He admitted he acted desperately because he thought he could lose her. He didn’t know what happened, and he could never know the truth, but he made sure to get her on camera during their first workout and he announced that she would join them in training and the race. After that, she couldn’t get out of three months of marathon training. He already couldn’t get out of it. 

Later, she realized that she loved him, but knowing that, and saying it, it didn’t change what she did. It didn’t change the guilt she felt. She wanted to tell him, admit her mistake, but she knew better. So, she tried to make it up to him. She tried to pay a penance without him knowing about the sin or the attempted reparation. Every day she ran. She ran further and harder than she thought she could. She finished her runs well before him and made sure that he came home to a big breakfast and a hot shower. She wanted to show him, not just tell him that she would take care of him. She always would. She took care of his show, she took care of his home. She tried to be perfect for him in every aspect of his life. 

And then last week, he walked into her office and saw her asleep at her desk. He gently woke her up and she startled. “Mackenzie,” he laughed. “Do you need to go home and get a nap? The show doesn’t start for a few hours. I can cover for you.”

She told him he couldn’t and started listing all the things she had to do. When he told her that he could delegate most of it, she told him that he couldn’t. No one else would do it right. That’s when they had a conversation about her not needing to be perfect. His sincerity made her believe that he could forgive her for anything, and she almost told him. But the words wouldn’t come out. In that moment, she imagines that he saw her insecurity, so he broke their rules about separating business and pleasure. He put his arm around her and told her he loved her, and he hoped that she would believe in that. He told her that she doesn’t have anything to prove to him. He loves her just the way she is. 

And she believed him. She decided that keeping her secret from him. She wanted to believe she did it because she wanted to protect him, but occasionally, she knew she only wanted to protect herself from losing his love. She would never completely lose that feeling until the day she had to tell him. 

But standing here, looking at him look at her as they got ready for the race, she didn’t think about what she did, she thought about their future. They had a future, she knew that as well as she knew anything. He loved her, he told her that months ago and he’s continued to say it. She loved him, she knew that. That’s why she ended her stupidity. And now after 3 months of training, she would get to finish the race with him. 

“You changed your mind?”

Will laughed a little, “Okay, it was changed for me.”

“I’m kind of surprised that your competitive nature didn’t make you enjoy the process.”

Will gave her a stink eye, “you were running 4-minute miles until our 5-mile run, I wasn’t going to beat that.”

“So, you’re okay being beat by a girl?”

Will kissed her. “Are you ready to go?”

They arrived at Central Park and found their camera crew, and Preston, quickly. The three sat down with another reporter for a pre-race interview and got the instructions that they would meet the same group after to talk about the race. Mac saw Will roll his eyes. He could choose to say whatever he wanted, no one would ever look up times or anything else, but she knew he wanted to be anywhere but here. 

Will, Mac and Preston were put at the front of the group of racers so the camera could get the starting block. No matter how popular the New York Marathon is, they welcomed coverage on a national news show, a statement that made Mac roll her eyes at the working definition of news these days. The starting pistol shot, and everyone started running. Will, Mac and Preston were told to stay together until they couldn’t see the camera anymore, after that, the producer said, Mac could take off at her normal speed and get back in time to shower and return before the guys get in. Since they shouldn’t have been with the fast runners, there was a lot of bumping and jockeying for position. Mac looked back to see if the camera was still in view and then she fell. She moved to the side, out of the way of the rest of the runners and within seconds, Will jog back to get her. He picked her up and took her to the medical tent where she was diagnosed with a sprained ankle. 

When they got home, Will laid her on the bed and propped her leg up on some pillows. When he came in with lunch, she asked if he was disappointed he didn’t get to finish. “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I get the spend the day exactly how I would have chosen. In bed with the woman I love.”

The _Times_ ran a picture of Will carrying Mac to the medical tent and incorrectly captioned it by saying he carried a fan. Mac told him that the rest of his fans better not assume that he treats all his fans the same as his biggest one. Preston finished the race setting a new personal record and got to take the post-race interview himself. All in all, Mac couldn’t be happier. 


End file.
